Countries With the Most Neighbors

Which country in the world shares its border with the most countries? Technically, we have a tie because both China and Russia have the most neighboring countries with 14 neighbors each.

This should not be surprising as Russia and China are the largest political nations in the world. They are also located in a part of Asia (and Europe) that has many small countries. Yet, these two are not alone in their numerous neighbors, as both Brazil and Germany share their borders with more than eight countries.

China Has 14 Neighboring Countries

China is the third largest country in terms of area (if we count Antarctica) and its lands dominate the southeastern part of Asia. This location (next to many small countries) and the 13,954 miles (22,457 kilometers) of border brings it to the top of our list as having the most neighbors in the world.

In total, China borders 14 other countries:

• On the northern border, China borders (west to east) Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Russia.
• To the west, China shares boundaries with (north to south) Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
• The southern border of China is shared with (west to east) India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, and Vietnam.
• On the eastern border, China's neighbor is North Korea (and, again, Russia).

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By Matt Rosenberg

Russia Has 14 (Or 12) Neighboring Countries

Russia is the largest country in the world and it spans both the European and Asian continents. It is only natural that it shares borders with many countries.

Despite its large area, Russia's total boundary on land is just slightly smaller than China with a border of 13,923 miles (22,408 kilometers). It's important to remember that the country has a lot of coastline 23,582 miles (37,953 kilometers), particularly in the north.

• On the western side, Russia borders (north to south) Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, and Ukraine.
• To the south, Russia shares a border with (west to east) Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and North Korea.
• If we include the Russian oblast (region) of Kaliningrad (200 miles west of the main Russian border), then we can add Poland and Lithuania to the list and that brings the total to 14 neighbors.

Brazil Has 10 Neighboring Countries

Brazil is the largest country in South America and it dominates the continent. With the exception of Ecuador and Chile, it borders every South American nation, bringing its total up to 10 neighbors.

Of the top three countries listed here, Brazil wins the prize for having the longest border area. In total, Brazil has a 10,032 mile (16,145 kilometers) border with other countries.

• Brazil shares its northern border with (west to east) Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.
• Running down the western border of Brazil are the countries of (north to south) Colombia and Peru.
• On the southwestern side, Brazil borders (west to east) Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Germany Has 9 Neighboring Countries

Germany is one of the largest countries in Europe and many of its neighbors are among the continent's smallest nations. It is also almost completely landlocked, so its 2,307 miles (3,714 kilometers) of border is shared with nine other countries.

• Germany's single neighbor to the north is Denmark.
• On the western border of Germany, you will find (north to south) Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France.
• To the south, Germany shares a border with (west to east) Switzerland and Austria.
• The eastern borders of Germany are shared with (north to south) Poland and the Czech Republic.

_Source

_{The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency, United States of America. 2016.}